1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to call screening, and more particularly to call screening of an active voice mail message in a voice mail system.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the inception of the telephone answering device (TAD), the population has been provided with the ability to record a message from an incoming caller, and subsequently return the call at the called party""s convenience. When using a TAD, the incoming message being recorded is generally also concurrently broadcast through a speaker on the device itself. If the called party is present in the area of the TAD when the incoming call is received, he or she can listen to the message being left in real time, and decide whether they want to take the call (i.e. screen the call). If the called party wants to speak to the calling party at any point during screening, she may simply pick up the telephone receiver, and interrupt the message being left by the calling party. Generally, TADs will sense the drop in the DC line voltage of the telephone line resulting from the off-hook state of the telephone receiver, and discontinue the recording of the message. A TAD, however, cannot receive and record a message for the called party while the telephone line it is connected to is in use. Thus, a calling party will receive a busy signal and is required to wait and call back when the line becomes available.
The next generation of the TAD is the voice mail system. The voice mail system can be implemented in many ways, such as for example through a private branch exchange (PBX) or through a central switching office (e.g. telephone service provider). One advantage of the voice mail system over the standard TAD is that when the line being called is busy, the system enables the calling party to leave a message for the called party, who may then listen to the message and return the call. A shortcoming of the voice mail system is that the called party cannot listen to a voice mail message as it is being recorded (i.e. screen an active voice mail message). In this case, the called party is forced to wait until the calling party completes the recording of the message, then listen to the recorded message, and then return the telephone call.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for screening an active voice mail message and enable the called party to voluntarily interrupt the same.
This and other objects of the invention are achieved by providing a method for screening active voice mail messages comprising the steps of accessing the voice mail system for message pickup; identifying the subscriber accessing the voice mail system; determining whether there is an active incoming message for an identified subscriber; and providing the subscriber with the ability to listen in on the incoming active message without interrupting the same.
In accordance with the invention, when the subscriber has entered a listen only mode, she can connect to the caller (i.e. interrupt the active message) by activating a DTMF key or sequence of keys. The subscriber may also terminate the listen only mode without interrupting the active message.
If there is no active message being left when the subscriber accesses the voice mail system using the normal phone number or a special call screening access phone number, the subscriber is so notified, and is presented with the option of entering the voice mail main menu system or terminating the call. In another embodiment, when there is an active message being recorded, the subscriber has the option of screening it or entering the voice mail main menu system. If the subscriber chooses to screen the call, she activates a DTMF key or sequence of keys and is then connected to the active message in listen only mode.
In an alternative embodiment, the subscriber can access the voice mail system and automatically be connected to an active voice mail message, and then either screen the active incoming message or automatically interrupt the same and pickup the call. The automatic connection mode can be entered by dialing a special call screening phone number, or through a subscriber-selectable set option within the voice mail system. The subscriber can enable options such as automatic call pickup and automatic call screening. In the automatic call pickup mode, when an active incoming message is detected by the voice mail system, the subscriber""s telephone set is automatically connected to the calling party who is concurrently leaving the active incoming message, or optimally while the subscriber""s outgoing message is being played. In the automatic call screening mode, the subscriber""s telephone set automatically enters the listen only mode (i.e. screening/monitoring mode) where there is an active incoming voice mail message being left at the time that the subscriber accesses the voice mail system.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the voice mail subscriber (i.e. the called party) is not required to access the voice mail system in order to screen an incoming active message. Upon receiving an active voice mail message, the voice mail system automatically connects the active message to the subscriber""s telephone set. A determination is then made as to whether the subscriber has activated various user selectable options such as, for example, automatic call pickup and automatic call screening. When the subscriber has activated the automatic call pickup option, the subscriber""s telephone set is automatically connected to the calling party upon receipt of the active incoming message. When the subscriber activates the automatic call screening mode, the subscriber""s telephone set automatically enters a listen only mode for screening the incoming active voice mail message.
When the subscriber is connected in listen only mode and does not want to connect to the calling party leaving the active message, the system determines whether the subscriber""s telephone is in the off-hook or on-hook state. When the system detects the on-hook state of the subscriber telephone after entering the listen only mode, the connection with the calling party is terminated, and the active voice mail message is recorded as usual.
When the subscriber does not activate one of the user selectable options, a determination is then made as to whether the subscriber""s telephone is in an off-hook state. If the subscriber""s telephone is placed in an off-hook state during the receipt of the active message, the system automatically enables the subscriber to hear the active message in the listen only mode without requiring any additional input or action by the subscriber. The subscriber can then connect to the calling party and interrupt the active message by pressing a dedicated or predetermined DTMF key or sequence of keys. If an off-hook state of the subscriber telephone is not detected, then the message is recorded as usual.